Life-saving apparatus for submarines.



v R. A. WILLISON.

LIFE SAVING APPARATUS FOR SUBMARINES.

APPLICATION FILED NOV.8, 1915.

3 SHEETS-SHEET l.

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R. A. WILLISON.

LIFE SAVING APPARATUS FOR SUBMARINES.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 8. 1915.

1 ,207,115, Patented Dec. 5, 1916.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

R. A. WILLISON.

LIFE SAVING APPARATUS FOR SUBMARINES.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 8. l9|5.

Patented Dec. 5, 1916.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

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@ETES RALPH A. WILLISON, OF PORTLAND, OREGON.

LIFE-SAVING APPARATUS FOR SUBMARINES.

Application filed November 8, 1915.

will enable others skilled in the art to which it a ppertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to improvements in I life saving apparatus for submarines and the object of the invention is to provide easily operated means whereby the crew of a submarine may quickly leave the same and escape in time of danger,particularly if the submarine becomes disabled beneath the surface of the water.

A further object of my invention is to provide novel means for projecting the life saving chamber from the body of the submarme.

A still further object is to provide an improved water tight joint for the chamber at its point of connection with the submarine body.

lVith the above and minor objects in view,

my invention resides in the novel features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts as will hereinafter be fully described and claimed and shown in the drawings wherein:

Figure 1 is a vertical longitudinal section through my improved life saving chamber in position in its compartment within a submarine vessel; Fig. 9. is a side elevation, partly in section, of the chamber rising from the disabled vessel; Fig. 3 is a horizontal section on the line 3 3 of Fig. 1; Fig. 4 is a detail section showing more particularly the construction of the water inlet ports; Figs. and 6 are detail views showing the hollow mast and the method of holding the same within the chamber.

In the accompanying drawings, I have shown my improved life saving chamber 1 disposed within a submarine vessel 2, the top of the chamber 1 forming a portion of the deck of said submarine. The chamber 1 is preferably cylindrical in cross section and is provided with a rounded bottom 3 as shown, while the top of said chamber has formed thereon a dome 1, the top of which is removable to allow the persons within the chamber to escape.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 5, 1916.

Serial No. 60,304.

The chamber 1 is provided with a door 5 which has a suitable water tight connection with the wall of the chamber 1. One door is here shown although it is obvious that more may be used, depending upon the position of the chamber within the submarine vessel. The door 5 is formed in two sections, a lower section 5 and an upper section 5", the lower section being two-thirds the height of the entire door. Suitable clamps (3 are formed on the inner side of the door 5 for tightly holding the same in closed position.

The chamber is placed in a suitable compartment 7 within the vessel, the floor of said compartment having at suitable predetermined points thereon a plurality of cylinders 8 in which are disposed floating pistons 9, the piston rods 10 thereof being extended through the closed top of the cylinders 8 and are adapted to receive the feet 11 of jack screws 12. There may be any number of these jack screws 12, depending upon the number of pistons 9 and they are suitably mounted within the bottom 3 of the chamber 1, the upper ends thereof being provided with square heads for a purpose to appear. The lower portions of the cylinders 8 are connected through the floor of the compartment 7 with the supply pipes 13 which connect said cylinders with a reservoir 14 in which is contained the compressed fluid for operating the pistons within the cylinders 8. A valve 15 is interposed between the reservoir 1-1 and the cylinders 8 for controlling the flow of fluid, which is preferably compressed air, to the cylinders. This valve 15 is operated from within the interior of the chamber 1. v

The top of the chamber 1 is provided with an annular flange 10 preferably formed integrally therewith and having an integral V-shaped annular rib 17 depending from its lower face. This rib is designed to coaet with a V-shaped groove 18 formed in the deck portion of the vessel, and a suitable gasket 19 is placed in said groove to form a water tight connection. The portion of the deck of the submarine surrounding the opening in which the chamber 1 is disposed and adjacent the V-shaped groove, is provided with a reinforcing member 20 in which are formed at predetermined intervals seats 21. The interior of the chamber 1 adjacent the connection of the side wall with the top is reinforced by the annular member 22. Screw clamps 23 which are operated by hand wheels 24 are disposed at intervals around said member 22 .and are adapted to extend therethrough and through the wall of the chamber, the outer ends of said screws being designed for coaction with the seats 21. It is obvious that when the screw clamps are in operative engagement with the seats 21, the chamber 1 will be securely held within the vessel in which it is used.

When the members of the crew of the submarine are within the life saving chamber and the door thereof closed, the valve 15 is operated to permit the compressed air from the reservoir 14 to enterthe cylinders 8, whereupon the screw clamps may be released and the pistons within the cylinders 8 allowed to force the chamber out of its c0mpartment 7. In order to facilitate the upward movement of the chamber from the disabled submarine, water is allowed to flow into the compartment 7 through the ports 25 which consist of right angular valve controlled pipes 26 as shown.

In case the air in the reservoir has be come so low as to be ineffective in raising the chamber or should the connection with the reservoir and the cylinders 8 become broken, the members of the crew within the chamber may manually operate the ack screws 12 in order to raise the chamber from its compartment. It is. evident that by using a suitable wrench on the square heads of said jack screws, the same may be lowered, the feet thereof contacting with the piston rods 10 to raise the chamber.

The compartment 7 is also preferably provided with a door which is closed when the persons enter the chamber in order that it will not be necessary to flood the entire submarine when it is desired to release the chamber therefrom. When it is found that water is rapidly entering the disabled vessel, the members of the crew thereof who first reach the chamber, shut the lower portion of the door 5', thereby preventing the entrance of the water into the chamber and yet allowing the other members of the crew to enter said chamber through the upper portion 5 of the door. However, should some water have entered the chamber the same can readily be pumped out by means of a suitable pump here designated by the numeral 27 through an outlet pipe 28. A floor 29 is spaced above the bottom 3 of the chamber and the space thus formed is designed to provide a. storage place for water, food or the like.

In addition to the above described features, 1 also provide a novel air inlet which opens through the top ofthe chamber 1. Normally an opening 30 in the top of the chamber is closed by a plug 31 having notches in its lower face. After the chamber 1 has floated to the surface of 'the water from the disabled submarine in the depths below, the plug 31 is unscrewed by inserting studs 32 formed on one end of an internally and externally threaded sleeve 33 in the notches. A hollow mast-in the form of a-tube 34 is inserted through the sleeve, when the same is in place and projects above the top of the chamber. This tube 34 is slightly smaller in diameter than the inner diameter of said sleeve and is provided with screw threads on its lower end to coact with the internal screw threads of the sleeve in order to hold said tube in operative position. The lower end of the tube is further provided with a detachable cover 35 which can be closed to allow rockets or other signals to be discharged from the tube to warn persons of danger of the sumarines crew. However, this cover is normally opened to allow ready access of air into the interior of the chamber. 7

From the foregoing description of the construction and operation of my improved life saving device, it is obvious that I hai e produced a very simply constructed yet extremely eflicient device of this character which can be readily applied to' any part of a submarine. vessel.

While I have described the elements best adapted to perform the functions of my invention, it is obvious that various changes may be made therein without departing from the scope 'or principles as embodied in the following claims.

I claim as my invention 1. The combination with a vessel, of a floatable chamber disposed therein, a fluid pressure cylinder arranged beneath said chamber, a piston disposed therein, a compressed fluid supply connected with said cylinder whereby when the compressed fluid is allowed to enter the cylinder the piston will project the chamber out of the vessel, and means for normally holding said chamber within the vessel. I

2. The combination with a vessel, of a floatable chamber disposed therein, a plurality of circumfereiitially spaced fluid pressure cylinders arranged beneath said chamber, pistons disposed therein, a compressed fluid supply connected with said cylinders, whereby when the compressed fluid is allowed to enter the cylinders the pistons will project the chamber out of the vessel, and

means for normally holding said chamber within the vessel.

3. The combination with a vessel, of a floatable chamber disposed therein, a plurality of jack screws threaded through the bottom of said chamber, supporting feet 'on the lower ends of said ack screws, a fluid pressure cylinder arranged beneath each of said screws, pistons disposed therein, the outer ends contacting with the feet of the jack screws, a compressed fluid supply connected with said cylinders, whereby when the compressed fluid is allowed to enter the cylinders the pistons will project the cham ber out of the vessel, means for turning the jack screws for manually projecting the chamber, and means for normally holding said chamber within the vessel.

at. The combination with a vessel, of a fioatable chamber disposed therein, a door for said chamber and having a water tight connection therewith, said door being formed in two sections having a water tight joint therebetween, whereby the lower section may be closed to prevent the entrance of water into the chamber while allowing persons to enter through the upper section, means for normally holding said chamber Within the vessel, and means for projecting the chamber from the vessel.

5. The combination with a vessel, of a fioatable chamber disposed'therein, a water tight connection between said chamber and the deck of the vessel, a removable plug in the top of said chamber, a sleeve adapted to bethreaded into the opening occupied by the plug, an air inlet tube adapted to extend through said sleeve and above the top of the chamber, said tube being threaded on its lower end to coact with the threads in the sleeve, and means for holding said chamber within the vessel.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

RALPH A. WILLISON.

Witnesses:

WILLIAM S. UREN, DAY E. WILLISON. 

